Save Me
by Defend D. Devil
Summary: To protect Anzai-sensei, Mitsui gave his soul to the person who wished to have revenge on him. Though he has saved someone, but will someone ever save him?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: The story timeline is set not long after the gym incident.**

Anzai-sensei was sitting on his chair as he observed the scene that occurred in the gym. No, it's not as trivial as Sakuragi and Rukawa's mocking match, nor as bad as the previous gym incident.

Everyone was eyeing the last player to come to the gym, shocked and confused as if seeing a friendly robber. The person was Hisashi Mitsui, the ex-gangster, who surprisingly looked as if he had gone back to his previous occupation.

"Mitsui-sempai, what are you wearing?" Ayako braved herself to ask as several pairs of eyes immediately set their gaze on her.

Mitsui inhaled deeply before he answered, "I have explained them before, haven't I? The collar is a gift. The bandages around my face are from a little clumsiness. The sweat band here is just for fashion." He stated flatly as he pointed at his right wrist.

"And I'm sorry if my sense of fashion is disturbing." He apologized. He was actually wearing a long sleeved and turtle necked black shirt with a matching vest along with the school uniform's pants.

"You know that training won't be easy with that outfit, don't you?" Akagi assured, earning a nod from the shooter. Mitsui was not frowning, but his eyes looked…_dissapointed_

Ever since a week ago, Mitsui had changed, both physically and mentally. It started with Mitsui's fashion behavior, which is now more towards the whole-body concealing type.

The next step was the articles. On the second day, he wore a black collar to school. At first, everyone thought that it was just a joke, but unknown to them that things worsened as days passed.

Mitsui passed out during training on the third and fourth day. Although he was lacking of stamina due to his absence, but he had never did so during training. The infirmary informed that he had a fatigue, despite the light training session compared to a match.

Yesterday, Mitsui decorated his face with lots of bandages, similar to the day when he rejoined the team. "Just a small accident. I have promised I won't fight anymore, and I don't break promises." He reasoned, but everyone knew that the first sentence was a lie, despite the fiery eyes as he spoke the second sentence.

And today, an addition of armband and worse choice of outfit had made everyone sure that Mitsui was_ not_ alright. Kogure, being Mitsui's best friend, stepped ahead and confronted Mitsui.

"What is happening with you, Mitsui?"

When Kogure earned no response, Miyagi gave a try. Soon everyone began to crowd around him, asking him this and that, trying to make him opened up by giving him comfort he didn't crave for.

The only person left to convince Mitsui was Anzai-sensei, and he knew better than to add more burden to the poor lad.

"Everyone, please resume your training." Commanded Anzai-sensei, but no one paid attention to it. They were to busy watching and separating the red monkey from using violence to his sempai.

"Akagi-kun." Anzai-sensei called. Akagi was about to ask his coach something when he saw the killer eyes his coach was giving behind his glasses. It was an unspoken command, and the Captain understood he swallowed his doubt and obeyed his command, first, by puling Sakuragi away from Mitsui.

"STOP PLAYING AROUND!" Gori yelled so loud that it almost deafened everyone. "Now start running around the gym 20 laps!"

Disappointment was visible in Shohoku member's eyes. But as soon as they saw their captain, that soon dissolved into fear which forced them to do as he said. Soon training began and Mitsui's problem was forgotten, _for a while_.

"Mitsui-kun." Anzai-sensei murmured as he saw the teen running at the back of the formation. _'What happen to you at that day?'_

He remembered seeing his shooter in a dark alley, beaten by his friends. The sky was crying at that moment, soaking the poor lad and his tormentor.

"_Mitsui, isn't this the old man that made you go back to the team?" The leader of the gang smirked as he walked closer towards the coach. "Won't it be nice to see him on the ground huh, Mitsui?"_

_He had no time to react when the teen pushed him to the ground harshly, his umbrella flung away from his grasp. Anzai-sensei had no time to wake up as the teen stepped on his stomach, mocking, "It sure felt like stepping on a pillow." He laughed mockingly._

"_Stop it, Ryu!"_

"_Why should I?" He ignored his plea and stepped harder, causing the old man to cry in pain. "I think it will be more interesting if you guys come to join." He signaled his friends to come with a finger._

"_Don't!"_

_Anzai-sensei could only close his eyes, preparing himself phisically and mentally for the upcoming blow._

"_On three! One, two, thr-"_

_But the blow never came. The old man knew something had happened while he was on the ground, something that had made them stop. Something that made them took Mitsui away and left him alone lying on the soaked ground. _

_Something that caused the problem Mitsui had now._

"Mitsui-kun, what did you give to them for my sake?"


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: I realize how my writing is a muddle mixture before. Editing the first one is a pain, so I'll just make up for it in the second part. It took some time unfortunately.**

**For the reviewers:**

**Star7: I hereby to demand the judgment!**

**Astell Epaz: I'm not writing any pairing, to your disappointment. I mean, there _are_ pairings, but once you take a look at the genre, I bet you'll get the true nature of the story. I apologized for any disappointment caused. Hope that you will not run away though.**

* * *

Previously:

_They didn't beat him. The old man knew something was happening, something that made them stop. Something that made them took Mitsui away and left him alone. Something that based the problem Mitsui had now._

"_Mitsui-kun, what did you give to them for my sake?"_

* * *

Everyone would have continued the interrogation session had the coach allowed it. After all, the timing was too perfect, with Mitsui being at the peak of conspicuousness he had been maintaining for the last two weeks.

Until the training session ended and all but Mitsui was locked inside the gym with Coach Anzai.

"Oi old man! Let me in! I will knock Mitchy's senses in so that he'll tell us!" Hanamichi ranted from outside the gym door. His fist was banging onto the door loudly. The door looked like it would be off its original place with several more bangs.

Had this been a _normal _day, the rest of the players who also stood outside the gym door would give their efforts to stop, or at least pause Hanamichi's actions. However, curiosity stoned them on their places, unable to do anything but wishing for a miracle to grant Hanamichi's complaint. They weren't saying it out loud,

But inside, they were fidgeting to help Hanamichi to destroy the door, left alone the sleeping Rukawa sitting beside the door.

"Old man, let me in! I said LET ME IN!"

_*BANG!*_

The deafening sound courtesy of Hanamichi barely registered into both Mitsui and the Coach's minds. Standing in the middle of the court as if having a match, they stared at each other. Coach Anzai's kind but analyzing eyes fell on the shooter's eyes, slowly tearing the wall that concealed his nervousness.

As the second ticked by, Mitsui's heartbeat was getting louder. He felt his chest burn hot like it was on fire. His pupils were shaking, unable to focus to his coach's eyes. He tried to make it stop by his inner will, but nothing changed. Desperate, he shut his eyes tight and inhaled a large amount of air.

_I can't be panic. Anzai-sensei will be in danger if I keep on giving hints to him. Just say…that they beat me to a pulp that day. Yeah, that'll do._

After he had felt his composure had returned, he dared to face his coach again. He had the answer to the unspoken question prepared previously, so trembling was no longer an option.

But that was only the theory.

He opened his eyes while exhaling the air he had held. The gym's green wall which greeted him brought comfort and reassurance that backed his resolution. He was ready to face his coach.

"I-"

"Mitsui-kun, you are not alone in this world."

Coach Anzai's unexpected wise words were like a grenade to him. It blew any resolution off his mind. Tears came out from his eyes as a familiar sensation washed him off reality. He felt his legs giving up, but he fought hard not to kneel in front of his coach.

_I can't let you be involved, sensei. I'm sorry._

Mitsui turned his head to avoid his coach. Then he brought his long sleeved hand to wipe his tears off. His coach patiently waited for him, watching every movement he made. Again, seconds passed like hours. None of them even realized that Hanamichi's ranting had gone off, that the sun had gone from yellow to blood-like orange.

_You have saved me from them before. Now it's my turn._

Coach Anzai noticed how Mitsui's eyes changed before and after he had wiped his tears off. This one was speaking 'I have made up my mind'. Behind the glinted glasses, he closed his eyes.

"I will not ask you any question, Mitsui-kun. You may come and talk to me as you wish." Then he turned to the door and left the slightly confused Mitsui alone, not brave enough to turned and watch his coach's departure. He just heard two soft knocks, and the gust of wind notified him that he was free to go.

The tense air left stabbed his chest. The feeling of guilt and hope mixed into one painful reality he was facing. He knew he was acting as a hero now, and that didn't really bother him. His stomach was growling, like he had missed something he frequently have, and it wasn't food.

Suddenly the red sunlight came to his eyes and he closed his eyes by instinct, raising his hands to help blocking the ray to his sight.

That's when realization hit him. He gulped down hard. Immediately he turned on his heels and run outside as fast as he could, like there was a killer inside the gym.

Everyone had gone home for the time Mitsui and the coach spent inside was beyond normal, all except Kogure and the sleeping Rukawa. They had been inside for an hour, and nothing had happened. No scream, not even a word. Even the hyper-energetic Sakiuragi had grown tired and decided to go home to train by a quarter hour. Miyagi seconded that, as well as their captain, Akagi.

The rest followed Sakuragi's step a minute later. Kogure expected Rukawa to wake up by instinct and left him totally alone, but apparently he was too much of a deep sleeper to do that. Kogure's kind heart wanted to wake him and told him to sleep at home, but his brain said that it would cost him his glasses. So he decided to silently sit beside him and waited.

Kogure would have also left the spot had he not been given the task by his coach to be the key holder. Leaving the job to Rukawa would have been impossible, and there's a huge chance that if he did so the coach and Mitsui would be locked inside until tomorrow. And again his kind heart told him to wait for his best friend and his coach.

Boredom nearly brought him to joined Rukawa after what seemed like an eternity passed. Every time he was at the edge of sleeping, his inner heart would prevent him from doing so. He didn't know how many times he had been doing that when two knocks at the door completely took his boredom.

It was the signal, so he opened the door as he was instructed before. His coach came out, and he couldn't help but to ask.

"So how did it go?" He kept his voice low as not to be noticed by Mitsui. His coach didn't see him eye to eye, but he replied with a whisper.

"Kogure-kun, please follow him to his home secretly."

It was another mission he believed. And he didn't have much time since a second later the said person was running out like his life was in danger. Kogure looked at his surroundings, trying to find anything fast enough to catch up with Mitsui. A red bike grabbed his attention.

"I'll borrow your bike for a while, Rukawa-kun." He whispered to the sleeping lad. With a swift movement he got on it and paddled it as fast as he could.

It didn't take much time until Mitsui was in sight. At that point he slowed down so not to be noticed. Fortunately, his mission ended quickly when Mitusi took a right turn to a not-so-big house. Sweat rolled on Kogure's face, both out of fatigue and anxiousness. He expected him to catch his act when he took that right turn.

Whether it was his spying skill was great or Mitsui was too apathetic to notice him, he didn't know. Mitsui directly entered when the door was opened, and it was slammed shut hard. With a gulp, Kogure slowly pedaled 'his' bike until he was in front of the house.

It was neither too big nor small. It was like an ordinary house, with red roof and creamy wall. There's a wooden door and two long pane windows at its right.

_Maybe I can peek from there_, Kogure thought. He got off from 'his' bike and settled it at the gate before tip toeing closer to the window. It took five steps, and he was already at his destination.

"Here goes nothing." He spoke to himself as he leaned closer to the window. Apparently it reflected any sunlight the sky had, making it slightly hard for him to peek. He had to use both hands to block his sides to get a clear view.

Suddenly a loud thud was heard, causing Kogure to jump.

He saw a person was thrown to the ground. Several people who surrounded him began to kick him continuously. It was a sick scene; moreover it reminded him of the gym scene. Somehow it was familiar.

Kogure braced himself to take another look. This time, his eyes caught something black worn by the one on the floor. He also took note that the person had a collar because one of the standing people raised him up using it. He suddenly remembered one person with a collar.

"Mitsui!" A cry slipped from his mouth. He wanted to help, but he got no courage to do so. He turned his head to the door, dismayed between friendship and fear. His feet were trembling, unable to decide whether to remain still or to burst through the door and saved the day.

Well, he ended up choosing neither by force, as a sudden blow to his head knocked his consciousness out.

And somewhere in school, Rukawa jolted out of his sleep in suprise, unaware of anything at all.

**T.B.C**


End file.
